House catches fire over the noon hour in Peru

Over a half-dozen fire departments battled a three-alarm fire Friday afternoon south of Route 6 in Peru.

Just before noon, a two-story house caught fire at 1818 2^nd Street. Peru immediately put out a mutual aid call to Utica, Oglesby, Spring Valley, and La Salle. Eventually Tonica, Ladd and Cherry were called to the scene as well.

The initial reports were that the people were able to get out of the house with smoke and flames shooting out from the home. The fire was initially centered in the back of the home, but spread to the lower living quarters and to the upstairs.

The fire was out in a little under three hours.

Members of the Peru Police Department along with ESDA were on scene directing traffic. A couple ambulances were also called to the scene.

The cause of the fire is unknown. The State Fire Marshall’s Office was called and should have arrived around 3 o’clock.

As a result of the fire, water in Peru is rusty city-wide due to extensive use of the fire hydrants, and two bus routes for Peru Elementary school were changed to bypass the scene.

Gusty winds help field fire spread outside Tonica

A field fire between Tonica and Leonore burned about 70 acres, but luckily the burnt area already had been harvested.

The Leonore and Tonica Fire Departments were called just before 4 Thursday afternoon for a field fire. After seeing a lot of smoke, they called for help and at least six other fire departments showed up.

The fire started after sparks started flying from a crop bailer. The sparks started cornstalks on fire and it quickly spread because of 30 to 40 mile per hour winds. Firefighters put it out in about two hours and with the help of a couple farmers were able to prevent the fire from burning standing crops.

Nobody was hurt.

Ottawa and Streator offer up lowest gas in the Illinois Valley

The cheapest gas in the Illinois Valley can be found on the east side of La Salle County.

According to GasBuddy.com, Streator stations are now selling unleaded for $2.15 a gallon. You can fill up in Ottawa for $2.16 a gallon. At least one station in Peru has gas for $2.23 a gallon while you can get gas for $2.29 in La Salle, Oglesby and Utica. Stations in Spring Valley are at the high end charging $2.39 a gallon.

The statewide average for gas is $2.52 a gallon, down seven cents from last week.

Car and semi collide along Route 6 in Spring Valley

A busy intersection in Spring Valley was the site of a crash involving a car and semi.

Morganne Moreno of Bureau Junction is accused of failing to yield at the intersection of Route 6 and Route 89 Wednesday morning. Moreno was ticketed for failing to yield and was checked out at St. Margaret’s Hospital in Spring Valley.

The semi driver, David Fox of Mendota wasn’t hurt.